Shooting in the Sun

[Orion]

And lucky for someone - while we just got sunburnt!



A low-key monteria and taken by a local. Consensus was it would make 22cm+ and a nice set of gnashers to put on a trophy shield. Two of the big Keilers had been wallowing and were caked in mud for that sleek go-faster look as you can see, but even so the body size was impressive.

 

[EMcC]

Did Mark get any this time ?

 

[Lateral]

Eddy,

To be honest, it’s really tough this year.

Bags would regularly average 25-35 a day, sometimes far more, occasionally less, in the past, but apart from one day of 29, another of 18, the rest have been in the single figures.

Out of 8 days hunting, I’ve only seen boar on one. I shot one, and missed one at around 120m that day. Had a massive keiler in my sights, but it was surrounded by a pack of dogs, so no safe shot.

I’ve two days left, and an awful lot of ground to catch up, if I want to hit my target, an average of one per day ! Not going to happen this year.

That said, the weather has been fantastic, as has spending time with friends, and having a good laugh.

I’ve been coming out to Portugal, for the last two weeks of February for the last five years, and today, for the first time, I’m wondering if I need to find an alternative

That will be a very sad day

 

[fjer20]

Do you know the reason for the decline in numbers?

 

[CarlW]

Do you know the reason for the decline in numbers?

Some English fellas keep shootin' em...

 

[Lateral]

Do you know the reason for the decline in numbers?

I went out the end of November, for a long weekend, which included two hunts. I have a dilemma, where I really want to go for the last two weeks of Feb', as I normally do, but not if the hunting is going to be poor.

Sadly, the two hunts were both very bad. The first would be considered a very expensive day out there, at €250.00, but included 2 stags, should you get the opportunity. 6 boar shot, zero deer seen.

To be fair, I heard that the owner offered a free of charge second hunt to everyone there.

The second, cheaper hunt, had 3 boar, again I was offered a free hunt, but it's not worth going over. So, for the first time in several years, I won't be going over in Feb'

Sadly, I believe the organisers, and hunters, are responsible for the problem. Apart from drawing the line at shooting "stripey's", and even then, not always, they will shoot whatever they see, regardless how young, regardless of how many are sows. It's not sustainable.

Unless they start "managing" the boar, it will only get worse.

 

[Jagare]

I went out the end of November, for a long weekend, which included two hunts. I have a dilemma, where I really want to go for the last two weeks of Feb', as I normally do, but not if the hunting is going to be poor.

Sadly, the two hunts were both very bad. The first would be considered a very expensive day out there, at €250.00, but included 2 stags, should you get the opportunity. 6 boar shot, zero deer seen.

To be fair, I heard that the owner offered a free of charge second hunt to everyone there.

The second, cheaper hunt, had 3 boar, again I was offered a free hunt, but it's not worth going over. So, for the first time in several years, I won't be going over in Feb'

Sadly, I believe the organisers, and hunters, are responsible for the problem. Apart from drawing the line at shooting "stripey's", and even then, not always, they will shoot whatever they see, regardless how young, regardless of how many are sows. It's not sustainable.

Unless they start "managing" the boar, it will only get worse.

Is the problem with boar numbers because they shoot boar as they come? Have they not been running Monteria's in that way for a very long time? The Iberian peninsular has had very hot and dry weather for a couple of years with terrible forest fires. Could that not be part of the problem? When boar hunting in Hungary they shoot them on a, as they come basis and there seems to be plenty of boar there.
I've done a couple of driven days here in Sweden this year and another on the 11th. Whilst not large days I've seen plenty of game and shot my share of the bag. Not overly expensive and entails no overnight stay or air travel. Looking to do more Swedish driven in the future. Not the young man i used to be .

 

[Lateral]

Alan,

I'm sure it's a combination of things, and I'm sure the weather, and fires haven't helped, but you know how the Monterias are run. A lot of hunters, and dogs covering the area, and when an area only produces 3-6 boar, no deer, there's a problem.

The first year it seemed to start going down hill, was the year you came out, and it's been getting worse. The days of a 25-40 average bag, seem to be over. I really hope you're right. and a few years of decent weather will see their return. However, if they keep killing everything in sight ????

 

[sikamalc]

These Monterias leave me cold in all honesty. There is no way that over several years of shooting numbers such as some that have been reported and photos I have seen are all the beasts accounted for. There must be a fair number wounded and never found. NO ground can put up with this type of numbers being taken year upon year, with no real management, just shoot anything that comes along, stags, hinds, etc.

 

[Jagare]

I don't criticize other countries hunting forms. The UK's is hardly perfect although i know the UK stalker can account for every deer they shoot at . From the times I've been on Monterias I've enjoyed the experience. True the Monteria is a "different" way to hunt but its the Spanish and Portuguese way. I'm sure the Portuguese will get to grips with the boar and deer numbers problem as they do have a very long hunting tradition Its a social event, something perhaps the UK stalker finds hard to grasp the concept of.
As i understand it Monterias are a once or twice a year hunt on a given hunting area.

I was hunting in Hungary a couple of weeks ago. 2 driven days with a fair part of the bag made up of red hinds. I saw a very healthy population of red deer with many stunning stags over the 2 days. Not heard any body complain about the way the Hungarians do it.

Anyway, I'll be back hunting in Portugal in February and even if i Don't shoot anything, I'll enjoy the experience.

 

[Lateral]

Not heard any body complain about the way the Hungarians do it.

Alan,

Lucky you weren't with us 3 weeks ago then

 

[Jagare]

Who was complaining?

 

[Lateral]

Who was complaining?

everyone on the trip. The point is, there are good, and bad, in any of the countries we go to.